Ajit Pai will be leaving the FCC in January 2021

Ajit Pai has revealed that he will be leaving his role as Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman. According to his announcement, he will be vacating his office on January 20, 2021, when President-elect Joe Biden will be sworn in. 

This makes perfect sense, especially since past chairmen have also done the same practice whenever a new president is elected. Pai originally joined the FCC as commissioner in 2012 but was later appointed by President Trump to be the chairman in 2017. 

During his almost four-year stint as FCC chairman, Pai has made some important decisions for the agency. Among these include his support for the T-Mobile-Sprint merger, which reduced the number of wireless carriers in the US to just three. Many, however, are hoping that his successor will bring back Net Neutrality; one of the things that was removed during Pai’s term.

Of course, it will depend on who President-elect Biden will appoint as Pai’s successor. Right now, there is no word on who he intends to nominate to fill the role. 

“It has been the honor of a lifetime to serve at the Federal Communications Commission, including as Chairman of the FCC over the past four years," Pai said. "I am grateful to President Trump for giving me the opportunity to lead the agency in 2017, to President Obama for appointing me as a Commissioner in 2012, and to Senate Majority Leader McConnell and the Senate for twice confirming me. To be the first Asian-American to chair the FCC has been a particular privilege. As I often say: only in America."